Harvester of Sorrow

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"Harvester of Sorrow"

Single by Metallica
from the album ...And Justice For All
Released	1988
Format	CD single
Genre	Thrash Metal
Length	5:42
Label	Vertigo Records
Metallica singles chronology
Eye of the Beholder (1988)	Harvester of Sorrow (1988)	One (1988)

"Harvester of Sorrow" is the sixth song from the Metallica album ...And Justice for All. Consistent with the whole album, the lyrics are harsh and serious. Various theories regarding the meaning of the lyrics have circulated among Metallica fans.Themes posted on message boards have included abortion, slavery and the idea of a "Harvester" as a symbolic figure pushing mankind to commit terrible deeds.

Another theory about this song is that Hetfield wrote this about his feelings for his father and how he felt his father's alcoholism tore his family apart.^{[citation needed]}

It is also possible that this song was written in reference to the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide which is often referred to as the "Harvest of Sorrow" by academics (and was the title of Robert Conquest's classic book on the subject). Soviets took Ukrainian crops which caused them to starve. Lyrics that may refer to this include "I give / You take" and "Pure black looking clear / My work is done soon here / Try getting back to me / Get back which used to be". ('Black' may be a reference to the 'Black Earth' -- in Russian: 'Chernozyem' -- area that was and is the region's bread basket.)^{[citation needed]}

The song is a fan favorite and a staple of the Metallica live set. During the second verse there is a short pause before the entire band returns and Hetfield growls the line "All have said their prayers." During live performances there is an extended silence before the band returns to the song.

The song is used for Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko's theme music.